'Game of Thrones' enlists The Hold Steady to record new Westeros tune

The Brooklyn indie outfit have recorded a track for "Game of Thrones" Season 3 entitled "The Bear and the Maiden Fair," a "boisterous tavern" song that appears in George R.R. Martin's books. That makes the group the second Brooklyn band to contribute to the HBO series' soundtrack as of late, with mood-rockers The National having made a contribution to Season 2 with a rendition of the tune "The Rains of Castemere."

“As with the National, we went after one of our favorite bands and were happily surprised when they agreed to do it,” showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss told exclusive-getter EW. “This is one of the most popular songs in Westeros, beloved by nobles and commoners alike, sung at taverns and feasts and etc. We wanted our rendition to be bawdy and a little sloppy — drunken musicians getting up on the table and jamming while the rowdy party continues around them. There was no one better for the job than the Hold Steady, and the song they delivered has been stuck in our heads for the last four weeks.”

"The Bear and the Maiden Fair" boasts lyrics by Martin and music by "Game of Thrones" composer Ramin Djawadi. Producers are being coy about exactly how the song will be used in the upcoming episode, though EW claims "it's not where readers of Martin’s novels might suspect."

In addition to its use in the show, The Hold Steady will be releasing the song on an upcoming 7" for Record Store Day (April 20). It will be paired with non-"GOT" track "Criminal Fingers."

Speaking of indie musicians partnering up with "Game of Thrones," Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody and Coldplay drummer Will Champion are both slated to appear in cameos this season.

You can check out the full lyrics of "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" below.